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From: Dugger, Romance of the Siamese Twins and Other Sketches by Shepherd M.
Dugger ( 1936)
THE MISSIONARY TO BANNER ELK
In the spring of 1873, when I was nineteen years old, gossip at Banner Elk said: That
the Watauga Baptist Association, in session at Antioch Church, on Watauga River, had
made up sixteen dollars and a half, to send a missionary to preach to the heathen at
Banner Elk. Of course the word “ Heathen” had not been used, the Baptist people had
simply donated sixteen dollars and a half to have their church represented in monthly
sermons at the little log church ( The only church) at Banner Elk.
The majority of the people, including myself, took our understanding of the churches
action as an insult, but if we had known how near heathen we were, we would have
accepted it joyfully. On Saturday night preceding the Sunday morning on which the
minister was to appear I sat up till a late hour composing a poem prophetic of his first
visit.
At the dead hour of midnight, I went in profound secrecy and lonliness and tacked the
following poem on the door- shutter of the church.
PROPHESYING THE MISSIONARY’S FIRST VISIT TO
THE HEATHEN AT BANNER ELK:
Riding on an ox in Baptist gear
The Missionary did appear,
To save our souls they sent him here,
At sixteen dollars and a half a year.
He took a text, spoke mild a bit,
Then stamped his feet and sprayed with spit;
His heaves and yells and echo sounds,
Raised all the dogs in Banner Town.
The dogs did howl and bark and growl,
The preacher fumed and seethed and scowled,
Both dogs and preacher did their proudest
To see which side could bawl the loudest.
The dogs drew near, came to the door,
Looked in and barked at Heathen Lore;
The preacher said: “ My Brothers Dear,
Get them thar dogs away from here.”
They beat the dogs with clubs and sticks,

From: Dugger, Romance of the Siamese Twins and Other Sketches by Shepherd M.
Dugger ( 1936)
THE MISSIONARY TO BANNER ELK
In the spring of 1873, when I was nineteen years old, gossip at Banner Elk said: That
the Watauga Baptist Association, in session at Antioch Church, on Watauga River, had
made up sixteen dollars and a half, to send a missionary to preach to the heathen at
Banner Elk. Of course the word “ Heathen” had not been used, the Baptist people had
simply donated sixteen dollars and a half to have their church represented in monthly
sermons at the little log church ( The only church) at Banner Elk.
The majority of the people, including myself, took our understanding of the churches
action as an insult, but if we had known how near heathen we were, we would have
accepted it joyfully. On Saturday night preceding the Sunday morning on which the
minister was to appear I sat up till a late hour composing a poem prophetic of his first
visit.
At the dead hour of midnight, I went in profound secrecy and lonliness and tacked the
following poem on the door- shutter of the church.
PROPHESYING THE MISSIONARY’S FIRST VISIT TO
THE HEATHEN AT BANNER ELK:
Riding on an ox in Baptist gear
The Missionary did appear,
To save our souls they sent him here,
At sixteen dollars and a half a year.
He took a text, spoke mild a bit,
Then stamped his feet and sprayed with spit;
His heaves and yells and echo sounds,
Raised all the dogs in Banner Town.
The dogs did howl and bark and growl,
The preacher fumed and seethed and scowled,
Both dogs and preacher did their proudest
To see which side could bawl the loudest.
The dogs drew near, came to the door,
Looked in and barked at Heathen Lore;
The preacher said: “ My Brothers Dear,
Get them thar dogs away from here.”
They beat the dogs with clubs and sticks,
And stoned them off with bats of bricks;
The preacher finally settled down,
And preached a sermon for the town.
Said he: “ Oh Lord do save the Heathen,
Raise their corn- cake with Christian leven;
And grant that I may sow no chaff,
But earn my sixteen dollars and a half.”
A brother’ rose and said beseeching,
“ I hope to not disturb your preaching;
For dinner and supper we have corn- crust
But we have biscuit for break- fust.”
Buckwheat cakes for breakfast also,
With butter and maple syrup spread
Would Christianize the vilest heathen
And raise our preacher from the dead.
The preacher said, “ When I am buried
The sod above me I’ll not break,
Toll me from the grave’s deep silence?
Not with molasses on a buckwheat cake.”
His feet in size did please the tanner,
He dinnered with Aunt Addie Banner;
She bowed her head, and quite confessing,
Said: " Brother Harnon, ask a blessing.”
“ Lord bless the grub we shall devour,
All these good things both sweet and sour;
Relieve the need through all our toil,
Of taking salts or castor- oil.”
Aunt Addie looked in dumb surprise,
A smile of wrinkles round her eyes;
To hear him ask in solemn token,
For God to keep their bowels open.
— One of the Heathen.
Mr. A. M. Dougherty, the Poet Laureate of Boone, N. C. who, had recently visited Miss
Florence Banner at Banner Elk, was accused of writing this poetry. I do not regret writing
it, because it was only another drop in the measure of a boy’s fullness, nevertheless this
revelation is my apology to Rev. Andy Harman's heirs, and the Baptist Church for my
Smart Alex conduct.
During Uncle Harman’s ministry at Banner Elk, I took him to dinner at our house a
number of times, and we were the best of friends. He died at Windy Gap, on Watauga
River a much beloved old gentleman, and his good children still live in Watauga County.

From: Dugger, Romance of the Siamese Twins and Other Sketches by Shepherd M.
Dugger ( 1936)
THE MISSIONARY TO BANNER ELK
In the spring of 1873, when I was nineteen years old, gossip at Banner Elk said: That
the Watauga Baptist Association, in session at Antioch Church, on Watauga River, had
made up sixteen dollars and a half, to send a missionary to preach to the heathen at
Banner Elk. Of course the word “ Heathen” had not been used, the Baptist people had
simply donated sixteen dollars and a half to have their church represented in monthly
sermons at the little log church ( The only church) at Banner Elk.
The majority of the people, including myself, took our understanding of the churches
action as an insult, but if we had known how near heathen we were, we would have
accepted it joyfully. On Saturday night preceding the Sunday morning on which the
minister was to appear I sat up till a late hour composing a poem prophetic of his first
visit.
At the dead hour of midnight, I went in profound secrecy and lonliness and tacked the
following poem on the door- shutter of the church.
PROPHESYING THE MISSIONARY’S FIRST VISIT TO
THE HEATHEN AT BANNER ELK:
Riding on an ox in Baptist gear
The Missionary did appear,
To save our souls they sent him here,
At sixteen dollars and a half a year.
He took a text, spoke mild a bit,
Then stamped his feet and sprayed with spit;
His heaves and yells and echo sounds,
Raised all the dogs in Banner Town.
The dogs did howl and bark and growl,
The preacher fumed and seethed and scowled,
Both dogs and preacher did their proudest
To see which side could bawl the loudest.
The dogs drew near, came to the door,
Looked in and barked at Heathen Lore;
The preacher said: “ My Brothers Dear,
Get them thar dogs away from here.”
They beat the dogs with clubs and sticks,